Thank You, I'm Sorry & Goodbye

Foreword

Foreword

By Ryan Panginilan

For as long as I can remember, certain hobbies or passions have played significant roles in helping me escape from stresses in my life. For instance, playing tennis, though it was often times very stressful in its own right, was an escape from any negative thoughts that had appeared throughout my life in general as I simply focused on the task that was presented. I can remember one notable incident where I had basically failed a quiz in sixth grade for math and I was so upset and scared that my grade would never come back up. I remember another notable incident back in eighth grade where I was surprised with my first detention. Being myself, I became extremely overworked over even little things like that. In addition to that, I have experienced more personal struggles throughout high school and especially now in college. However, tennis would always help me forget about things, at least just for a little while.

Moving on, Lauren's story is very relatable in a sense that May's passion for playing the violin was her escape from the negatives that have affected her life. Her passion for the violin was described as if it was a love for another human being. This was especially aided by Lauren's developing of the violin as a completely separate character with emotions of its own. In this story, she alternates points of views from chapter to chapter, with two chapters being paired to represent the same scene but one in her perspective while the other in the violin's perspective. By doing so, we are able to get into the minds and thoughts behind both of the characters. The way she describes any interactions between the two characters is almost romantic in the human sense, how they both enjoy each other's touch and overall how they bring color into each other's lives.

"For a moment the world was no longer painted blue and other hues and colors started coming into my vision. I slid my fingers down your curves and felt your smooth body on my skin" she writes. Her descriptions appeal heavily to the senses and they give life to an otherwise lifeless object further showing us May's passion for music.

I talked to Lauren personally about why she had decided to do this. She replied that the work was pushed into this direction at first by several peers. One notable peer had told her specifically that she had personified the violin very well and as a result, she had decided that maybe it would be unique to try something completely different and to write from the inanimate objects perspective. Lauren had told me that while trying it in her first draft she said that "oh this is fun, writing in the point of view of an inanimate object."

Despite the fun and beautiful aspect of this literary work, it is important to note that again her work is about how her violin was her escape from life. Another question I asked her when I interviewed her was essentially who the focus of the audience would have been. She noted that if it had been her first idea, then it would have been directed to everyone. Thanks to a proper pushing from peers, she developed a much more sincere and meaningful story focusing mainly on herself as the true audience. She explained to me specifically that it was because of this story that she remembered how much she had loved playing the violin. The story overall is just a powerful reflection on her life thus far and how she hopes that it will help other people with anything they may be struggling with in their own life.

This work in particular is a special work and it truly is an honor to have been able to have been able to read a close friend's personal work. She has revealed a good deal of personal struggle through this novel and because of this we have gotten closer.

Thank you so much Lauren for sharing your story, and I'm so excited for you to share this work with whoever you decide to share it to next.